Lord Wedgwood is Back and Even Better!

From a traditionally classic Christmas ornament or a newly engaged couple’s registry of place settings, to Wedgwood & Bentley’s new luxury collection of high-end handcrafted pieces; fine china and home decor produced by Wedgwood are guaranteed to be of the highest quality – all while rounding out any home with just the right amount of added elegance. Wedgwood fine china and home decor is synonymous with its delicate layer of rich sophistication and timeless appeal evident in each and every piece!

When our gift shop buyer informed us that she had arranged for a special appearance in the store, not only was it indeed special, but it was quite literally a royal one too! My Bering’s Hardware colleagues and I were quite excited about meeting Lord Wedgwood of Barlaston. While it was a brief whirlwind of activities that brought him to our store the first time, his genuine persona left a lasting impression.

Lord Wedgwood, Jorge Perez and Augie Bering, V

Mandy Nebeker Reid Nelson and Lord Wedgwood

We are honored once again to host Lord Wedgwood for a personal appearance! He will be helping us raise awareness for children with Down syndrome at our 13th Annual Rise School Event – Gifts from the Heart, November 15, from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. at our Bissonnet location – 3900 Bissonnet. If you are unable to attend the event, then perhaps you will be able to make it the next day, Friday, November 16, from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., for the official North American launch of his new collection, Wedgwood & Bentley. Lord Wedgwood will be visiting with attendees at both events, in addition to signing pieces.

Now that we’ve shared the details surrounding this upcoming visit, we feel compelled to share a little more about Lord Wedgwood, the man, to help describe why he is more than an acclaimed figurehead, but more importantly an impassioned father who made it a priority to be in attendance at our Rise School event. …While previously mentioned, he is no doubt in town to unveil his new Wedgwood & Bentley Collection, however, Lord Wedgwood is particularly pleased to be a part of the 13th Annual Gifts from the Heart event, as he has a child of his own with Down syndrome and shares The Rise School’s passion for serving those with disabilities.

It was this “innately identifiable” quality about Lord Wedgwood that everyone who met him the last time he paid our hardware store a visit felt outwardly.

The larger than life persona that many anticipated as slightly rigid, stoic or perhaps even austere was just the opposite. He enthusiastically made mention of his new goddaughter in New York, visited at ease with Bering’s customers and made a special point of voicing his interest in being a part of future Rise School and Bering’s Hardware events. …Yes, a truly remarkable man indeed! …And let’s just say our baby department staff was pleasantly surprised when Lord Wedgwood purchased two dresses for his goddaughter!

Fast forward, if you will, a year and a half ago to present day. We are even more excited than the first time he visited to be selected by not just Lord Wedgwood himself, but WWRD Holdings as one of just five companies in all of North America to officially launch Wedgwood’s newest line, Wedgwood & Bentley. Not only do we have the distinguished honor of helping to promote the fact he will be helping to raise awareness for children with Down syndrome at the Rise School event, but he will also be doing what he does so incredibly well – sharing his exclusive new Wedgwood & Bentley Collection with all of us!

The new Wedgwood & Bentley collection pays homage to the design and craftsmanship heritage, bringing stylish home wares to a new generation of luxury consumers – as well as admirers! The line is a collection of luxury decoration pieces and luxury tableware that builds on Wedgwood’s 250 years of design. The collection combines timeless and iconic pieces mixed with newly-designed contemporary classics to blend tastefully into any fine home throughout the world, adapting it to the essence of the modern luxury interior.

If you still aren’t convinced you should put his visit on the calendar, then perhaps a brief (but extremely fascinating) history of the significance of Wedgwood & Bentley will help! Wedgwood & Bentley harkens back to the highly successful partnership started in 1762 between Wedgwood’s founder, Josiah Wedgwood, and Thomas Bentley, a well educated and well connected businessman, who became the Wedgwood brand ambassador to royalty and aristocracy around the world. Despite being from very different backgrounds in manufacturing and trade, the two fast became friends, going on to form one of the most successful and brilliant creative partnerships of the age and creating together the first true global luxury brand – WEDGWOOD.
Through Bentley’s relentless efforts in serving the needs and desires of aristocracy and royalty from Wedgwood’s fashionable 18th century London salon, the Wedgwood brand quickly became highly coveted by both groups, and saw Josiah Wedgwood soon designing bespoke pieces for the likes of Queen Charlotte and Catherine the Great of Russia. The tradition of luxury limited editions and services continued, with Wedgwood being brought in to the finest homes of the world – from the Chinese Emperor’s Palace and the American White House; to the Russian Kremlin. Today, the Wedgwood brand continues to be found adorning tables and homes in prestigious addresses all around the world – from palaces, ministries and presidential residences; to five star hotels, first class lounges and private yachts.

Wedgwood & Bentley’s new ornamental pieces and tableware that form the collection are all made in England, from precious proprietary heritage materials like black Jasper ware, luminescent cream ware, and the world famous Wedgwood fine bone china; as well as precious metals like pure gold and platinum. Designed to provide a dramatic focal point in any stylish space, each piece is a unique work of art, handcrafted by artisans – many of whom have spent their lives perfecting their craft – using methods originally developed by Josiah Wedgwood himself. Most pieces are limited editions signed by the artisan. The collection also offers the possibility to create bespoke tableware featuring the consumer’s monogram, family crest or any other desired personal identification.

We at Bering’s Hardware, as well as everyone at Houston’s Rise School and last but certainly not least, Lord Wedgwood, look forward to you joining us on November 15 for the Rise School event, or the 16th for Wedgwood & Bentley’s official North American launch – or better yet, please join us for both!

For tickets to The Rise School event, Thursday, November 15, from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. please email akress@riseschool.org, or join us at the Friday, November 16, signing from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. which is complimentary. Both events are at our Bissonnet location – 3900 Bissonnet.